Establishment of a Lifestyle Brand Business Platform：Acquisition of UK Footwear Brand Jacobson Group

Jan. 07, 2026
Marubeni Corporation

Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, “Marubeni”) has acquired Jacobson Group Limited (hereinafter, “Jacobson”), a UK-based footwear model proprietor with a portfolio of a number of manufacturers, as a part of its initiative to construct a way of life model enterprise platform anchored by R.G. Barry Corporation (hereinafter, “RGB”), a way of life model administration firm (hereinafter, the “Acquisition”).

Jacobson owns and operates a number of footwear manufacturers, together with its flagship model Gola, a heritage British sneaker model based in 1905, and distributes its merchandise in additional than 30 international locations primarily throughout the UK, North America, and Europe. Gola is characterised by designs that mix basic British heritage silhouettes with up to date trend sensibilities and is supported by a robust model legacy with roots in sports activities akin to soccer, the place it has earned long-standing recognition amongst athletes. Leveraging the model fairness constructed over greater than 120 years and its accrued experience in footwear model planning and growth, Jacobson is accelerating its world growth.

Marubeni Consumer Platform U.S. (hereinafter, “MCPU”), one of many devoted funding platforms beneath Marubeni’s Next Generation Corporate Development Division, goals to construct a scalable life-style model enterprise platform. In 2024, MCPU entered the approach to life model administration enterprise by means of the acquisition of RGB, which owns manufacturers akin to Dearfoams, the market chief within the U.S. in room footwear and slippers. The Acquisition represents the primary roll-up* transaction executed by RGB. By combining RGB’s strong gross sales infrastructure and company capabilities with Jacobson’s model portfolio, Marubeni seeks to concurrently speed up Jacobson’s development and broaden the approach to life model enterprise platform with RGB as its core.

Under its Mid-Term Management Strategy GC2027, Marubeni is specializing in  Strategic Platform Businesses (companies with “Growth Domains x High Added Value x Scalability”). The Next Generation Corporate Development Division goals to seize development in high-potential consumer-related companies by means of investments and M&A, with the goal of constructing companies that may turn out to be new pillars of Marubeni in 2030. In the approach to life model administration enterprise, Marubeni will proceed to broaden its model portfolio and earnings base by means of the roll-up of synergistic development manufacturers, whereas scaling its life-style model enterprise platform. By creating manufacturers that intently align with more and more numerous shopper preferences, Marubeni is dedicated to enhancing its long-term company worth.

*An funding technique that seeks to broaden enterprise scale and notice synergies by means of the phased acquisition and integration of a number of firms. 

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